The Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, attended a ceremony in Toronto yesterday, organized by the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem to honour Donatello and Zelmira De Luigi, two Italians recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for saving a Jewish family during the Nazi-Fascist occupation of Rome. Emilio De Luigi, grandson of the two honourees and a resident of Canada, was also in attendance.
The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of Yad Vashem, Dani Dayan; the President of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, Arlin Markowitz; and the Ambassador of Israel to Canada, Iddo Moed, alongside numerous representatives of Canadian political and public institutions and members of the Jewish and Italian communities, united by deep and longstanding ties of friendship.
In his remarks, Ambassador Cattaneo paid tribute to Donatello and Zelmira De Luigi, highlighting their extraordinary example of integrity and moral courage. The Ambassador also recalled the Italian law of 2000 establishing Holocaust Remembrance Day, emphasizing the inseparable link between the memory of the Shoah, national identity, and the fundamental values of democracy. In the face of rising antisemitism and growing manifestations of intolerance and discrimination, Ambassador Cattaneo reaffirmed the importance of a daily and personal commitment to defending freedom and democratic values.
Ambassador Cattaneo also outlined the numerous initiatives being organized by the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa across several Canadian cities to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day 2027. Developed in cooperation with the Fondazione Museo della Shoah in Rome, these initiatives include a partnership with the National Holocaust Monument for the joint organization of the national commemorative ceremony at the Monument in Ottawa on January 27, as well as screenings of the documentary Nedo, un Italiano, directed by Ruggero Gabbai, in Ottawa and Montreal on February 3 and 4, with the participation of Dr. Mario Venezia, President of the Fondazione Museo della Shoah.
